The next day, the sun was rising, the county students gathered to speak, and all the students stood neatly in the open space outside Minglun Hall. Today, another important task is to elect a tribute student to go to the capital to sit in prison and study.

This is a very serious matter, and theoretically speaking, the meaning of choosing a tribute student is similar to that of an imperial examination. After becoming a tribute student and graduating from the Guozi Prison, he had the qualifications to be an official, which was one of the official origins officially recognized by the Ming Dynasty.

The background of Ming officials pays attention to the three ways to go hand in hand, and the so-called three ways refer to the three backgrounds of imperial examination, school, and miscellaneous streams.

The imperial examination is well-known to the world, and it is also the most upright and clearest background in the current situation, and the status in the officialdom is also the highest; The school background generally refers to the birth of a student of the Guozi Prison, who became an official after graduating from the Guozi Prison, but this kind of background is far worse than the imperial examination in the officialdom. Miscellaneous origins, most of them are converted from officials, and their status is even lower, so there is no need to repeat it.

The above situation is reflected at the level of county school, the procedure of taking the road of imperial examination is the annual examination, and the procedure of taking the road of school is the annual tribute.

If you really fail the imperial examination and don't want to continue to persevere, you can choose the path of inmates, which is also another way out for the talents.

That's why I said that the significance of today's Chun'an County School election Gongsheng is theoretically speaking, and it is also to give people the qualifications to be officials, which is equivalent to a imperial examination, but the real importance is far behind.

In Chun'an County School, Xu Huai, the oldest student, stood in front of people, but several instructors didn't know where they had gone, and they were not at the scene, and they didn't seem to want to interfere in the internal election of students.

Xu Xueba bowed his hand politely to the classmates, and said loudly: "Now it's time for the annual tribute election, according to the rules and regulations of the imperial court." The one with the longest tenure should have been selected as Gongsheng. But under the lack of self-thinking talent and morality, it is afraid to be a tribute student to enter the Taixue and laugh generously. There is a loss of the county's façade, so I am willing to let the virtuous"

in the crowd. Xiang Chengxian, who was standing beside Fang Yingwu, chuckled a few times and said in a low voice: "Senior Xu's words seem to be exactly the same as last year, and not a word is bad. ”

Fang Yingwu had inquired carefully before, and knew that Xu Huai was the oldest student in the county, and he hadn't been admitted for so many years, so he should be forty years old. But this inability to move forward has become his advantage in controlling the tribute.

Because the tribute is theoretically sorted by seniority, Xu Huai, an old student, has the highest priority. As long as he is willing to take the initiative to give up, then who should he give it to. He has a lot of right to speak, and he has been a top student for many years, and he can influence the symbiotic election.

Thinking of this, Fang Yingwu also said in a low voice: "He is actually equivalent to selling the quota of the country's prisoners, selling one a year, but there is no good deal!" I don't know how many gifts I received from others this year, and I was shameless. ”

When a few of them were talking in a whisper, Xu Huai had already finished sighing, "Look down." Yang Yuanyang is an old man, excellent in schoolwork, and can be a candidate for tribute, so he is willing to give in. ”

Immediately, someone echoed in the crowd: "What Senior Xu said is extremely true! "That's a good candidate!" "It's really time for Senior Yang!"

Of course, Xu Huai is not the only county school bully. But several other scholars, such as Hong Song and Xiang Chengxian, are all interested in the fame of the imperial examination, and they don't care about the second-rate path of Gongsheng, let alone the name of the prison department. So I didn't bother to worry about Xu Huai about this. At this time, he only watched coldly, and he should watch the play.

Liu Yandao's face was a little anxious. He looked at Fang Yingwu, who was still standing still. But Fang Yingwu was not in a hurry, and asked him, "Who is Yang Yuan recommended by Senior Xu?" ”

Seeing Fang Yingwu asked about the opponent. Liu Yandao hated and said with a little disdain: "Yang Yuan's qualifications are among the top five in the county, and he is really not young now.

In the past ten years, Yang Yuan's road to fame in the imperial examination has not been smooth, and probably this year he couldn't help it, so he changed his mind and took the road of Gongsheng Prisoner. I think he has bought Xu Huai, and he wants to build momentum to elect him as a tribute today. ”

Fang Yingwu was extremely sympathetic and sighed: "It's also a poor person who has been frustrated in the field for more than ten years, and it sounds like you're almost on the street." ”

Liu Yandao was greatly injured when he heard this, secretly spit out a mouthful of old blood, and choked when his stomach was full of words.

waited until the cheering in the crowd stopped, Fang Yingwu came out of the crowd without hurrying, and was equally polite, which immediately attracted the attention of the crowd. Everyone knows the beam between Fang Yingwu and Xu Huai, but everyone still didn't expect Fang Yingwu to really jump out.

I saw Fang Yingwu say to Xu Huai: "Senior Xu, there is also a candidate below, I think Liu Yandao Senior Liu has outstanding character and pure morality, and can be the best candidate for tribute, what do you think?" ”

Fang Yingwu suddenly went out to speak, and Hong Song and Xiang Chengxian were stunned for a while. Fang Yingwu didn't tell them about sniping Xu Huai today, so he was not mentally prepared at this time. The two of them couldn't help but think in unison, could it be that Fang Yingwu had an impromptu idea?

Xu Huai put away his smile and glanced coldly at Fang Yingwu, who deliberately stood up to make trouble, "The candidate has been agreed, Fang Yingwu, it's useless for you to talk more!" ”

There were many people in the crowd who cooperated with the clamor and kept reprimanding Fang Yingwu for doing nothing; There are also accusations that Fang Yingwu, the newcomer, is neither big nor small, and has no self-knowledge.

Hong Song and Xiang Chengxian glanced at each other, they both understood that they were unprepared today, and most of them had no chance of winning. But they still stubbornly walked out of the crowd and supported Fang Yingwu and said: "Senior Xu is too domineering when he speaks, Fang Cai has always been talking to yourself, how can it be agreed?" ”

Xu Huai sneered a few times, and said confidently: "It's not up to you to decide whether to agree or not." When I report the two candidates to Mr. Meng, Mr. Meng will decide. ”

Hearing him say this, Fang Yingwu and the others all knew it. I'm afraid that this Xu Huai has already opened Mr. Meng's joints, and the Zuihou candidate must still be Yang Yuan, who is supported by Xu Huai.

Sure enough, only a moment later, Xu Huai returned to the front of the person and said with a smug expression: "Mr. is approved, the candidate is classmate Yang." ”

Hong and Xiang shook their heads, this time they were not prepared in advance, and they were really helpless. I don't know what Fang Yingwu thinks, is it going to be successful?

And Liu Yandao was deeply disappointed after hearing this, this party should be unreliable today. He felt that the biggest mistake this time was that he was too high in his ability to look at Fang Yingwu, and he was really stunned the day before yesterday. will pin your hopes on Fang Yingwu!

Fang Yingwu was unmoved, "This is not the end. Next, you have to send the candidate to the county government, and the county will approve it and report it to the capital. ”

Xu Huai Haha smiled and said, "What do you know about this young man?" I know you have a friendship with the county. But do you want to rely on the county to stop me? Stop daydreaming! ”

Then, Xu Huai said confidently: "Fang Yingwu, do you dare to make a bet with me?" The county will never draw up candidates, and the final candidates will still be selected by the school! ”

Fang Yingwu knew that what Xu Huai said was the truth. In this year, the power of a county is theoretically unlimited, and there is nothing that cannot be managed within the jurisdiction. However, in practice, the power of the magistrate is extremely restricted.

This restriction came not only from the superiors, but also from the local gentry. In a sense, the grassroots level of the Ming Dynasty is a system of co-governance between the county government and the gentry, and it encounters strong local gentry. The magistrate should also respect three points.

The division of the power boundary between the county magistrate and the local gentry is invisible and intangible, but it does exist in people's hearts. If you cross the line, you will break the rules, and you will have to bear the consequences.

According to the past customs of Chun'an County, the county school is the candidate for the county school, and the county does not interfere much, and it is basically handled by the county students, which is also a kind of political privilege for the scholars.

If this county Wang Zhi County really dares to forcibly designate Gongsheng. That would be an act of public wrath. And once the crowds of Xiucai in this dynasty get excited, then they can really do anything, and any official must retreat.

Besides, a mere tribute may be very important to the parties. But in the eyes of the magistrate who was born in the imperial examination, it is really not a big deal, and it is not worth it to break the traditional rules for this reason.

Therefore, Xu Huai did not believe that Wang Zhixian would personally help Fang Yingwu recommend candidates. Not only Xu Huai and Xu Xueba, but others around him didn't believe it. If Fang Yingwu thought that relying on the magistrate would be able to forcibly appoint a candidate for tribute. That's a big mistake.

Fang Yingwu thought for a moment, and then said, "What you said is good. The county will never draw up candidates, and the final candidates will still be selected by the school. ”

This sentence seems to be a repetition of Xu Huai's previous sentence, and it is almost not bad at all.

After Xu Huai heard this, he only admitted defeat to Fang Yingwu, and he smiled proudly, "Brave rats, you are really ignorant and fearless, now you know that the sky is high and the earth is thick?" I'll tell the servants to send the candidates to the county office!" ”

The onlookers dispersed in twos and threes, and kept discussing Fang Yingwu, and they all felt that his performance was a bit anticlimactic. At the beginning, Fang Yingwu's aggressive questioning made it clear that he wanted to snipe Xu Huai on the matter of Sui Gong. But he didn't expect that without even three axes, Fang Yingwu quickly collapsed.

Xiang Chengxian complained in a low voice: "You plan to use the annual tribute to clash with Xu Huai face to face?" So why not state it in advance? This caught us off guard, and we didn't have any power to fight back. ”

Fang Yingwu replied disapprerovingly: "The two brothers have a heart, in fact, they don't have to work for you today, it's enough to have yourself." ”

Hong Song asked, "What kind of medicine did you buy in the gourd?" I don't believe you're going to throw in the towel for nothing, and you don't have any back-ups. ”

Fang Yingwu still said mysteriously: "The two brothers are calm and don't be impatient, and when the time comes, you will know that it will not work if you say it." ”

Hong Song pointed at Liu Yandao and said, "Of course we are not impatient, you still have to think about how to appease classmate Liu, I think you have made him miserable this time." ”

Fang Yingwu didn't care and said, "That's not necessarily. ”

In the afternoon, Zhusheng was studying in Minglun Hall, when suddenly a servant walked in and said to Xu Huai: "Mr. Meng asked me to inform Friend Xu that the county government's parents and the eldest master have approved it very quickly and have been sent back to the county school." ”

Xu Huai immediately turned around and said to Yang Yuan, the only candidate for tribute: "Congratulations to classmate Yang!" All the surrounding beings also gathered around, congratulating Yang Yuan on having the opportunity to study in Guozijian.

The servant's face was very strange, "Don't be in a hurry to congratulate you, in fact, the county is not the candidate." ”

"What?" Xu Huai and the people around him were shocked, the magistrate would actually veto their candidate? Could it be that this time, the magistrate plans to go beyond the rules and interfere with the selection of tribute students without reason? Is this the wrong medicine?

The servant continued: "The county magistrate also said that he believed in the county students, so let the princes continue to nominate candidates. "Everyone is confused again for the time being, judging from this sentence, the county seems to be still talking about the rules, what's going on?

Fang Yingwu slowly squeezed in front of Xu Xueba, and once again repeated what Xu Huai said in the morning: "You are right. The county will never draw up candidates, and the final candidates will still be selected by the school. ”

Xiang Chengxian suddenly woke up, figured out the trick, and burst out laughing, Fang Yingwu's idea was simply too yin. (To be continued......)